Monday, December 31, 2012

114.Popular piety has given rise to many pious exercises connected with 31
December. In many parts of the Western world the end of the civil year is
celebrated on this day. This anniversary affords an opportunity for the
faithful to reflect on "the mystery of time", which passes quickly
and inexorably. Such should give rise to a dual feeling: of penance and sorrow
for the sins committed during the year and for the lost occasions of grace; and
of thanks to God for the graces and blessings He has given during the past
year.

These
sentiments have given rise to two pious exercises: prolonged exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament, which afford an opportunity for the faithful and many
religious communities for silent prayer; and the singing of the Te Deum
as an act of community praise and thanksgiving to God for the graces received
from Him as the year draws to a close.

In
some places, especially in monasteries and in associations of the faithful with
a particular devotion to the Holy Eucharist, 31 December is marked by a vigil
of prayer which concludes with the celebration of the Holy Mass. Such vigils
are to be encouraged and should be celebrated in harmony with the liturgical
content of the Christmas Octave, and not merely as a reaction to the
thoughtless dissipation with which society celebrates the passage from one year
to another, but as a vigil offering of the new year to the Lord.

No comments:

Post a Comment

ABOUT THIS BLOG

This blog is originally entitled PRAYERBOOK FOR RELIGIOUS (An online version of Fr. Francis Xavier Lasance's PRAYERBOOK FOR RELIGIOUS: A Complete Manual of Prayers and Devotions for the Use of the Members of All Religious Communities, originally published by Benziger Brothers, 1914.)

I have decided to widen the scope of this blog. So, in addition to the prayers from the Prayerbook for Religious, I will now post articles about the spiritual life and other things Catholic.

Let's have a walk with God.

Climbing Mount Carmel

I'm currently having my formation as a Carmelite Tertiary... Wanna join me?

Search This Blog

SACRED AND EUCHARISTIC HEART OF JESUS

OUR BLESSED MOTHER

My PATRON: Saint Francis of Assisi

"It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching."

MY PATRONESS: Saint Therese of Lisieux

"To Call God my Father and to Know myself His Child, that is Heaven to me ..."

FRANCISCUS PP.

BENEDICTUS PP XVI

V: Let us pray for our Pope Francis. R: May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. V: May Thy hand be ever upon the man of Thy right hand. R: And upon the son of man whom Thou hast confirmed unto thee. Let us Pray. O God, Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, look mercifully upon Thy servant Benedict, whom Thou hast chosen as shepherd to preside over Thy Church. Grant him, we beseech Thee, that by his word and example, he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.